The Drive Home
by pretty-good-liar
Summary: we're pretending that things are okay and rachel is alive that's how this is happening there is literally nothing canon about this bc I want it to be happy. roadtrip au i guess? if chloe and rachel actually did manage to gtfo of arcadia bay. marshfield and blue angel (rachel/chloe). enjoy!


"You've been staring at me for the last five miles, Max." Rachel smiled, a little golden half smirk as the last rays of sunlight slanted in through the window just behind her. Every inch of the old car was illuminated by the crisp, gold light of the setting sun, and Max had only one thought on her mind.

She just…wasn't quite sure how to word it.

Rachel winked. "I won't tell Kate."

Max sunk lower in her chair, hand still clutching her camera.

But Kate was behind her, sleeping peacefully in the backseat. More accurately, she was behind Rachel, so Max could reach back and hold her hand. Chloe was crumpled against the car door passed out too, diagonal Rachel for a similar purpose. She'd wanted the view.

Her girlfriend sure was stunning, there had never been any denying that. They were all headed to LA together for a reason. Rachel had a shot at being a model, and Max made a pretty good photographer.

Or so Kate had told her. And Chloe, of course, but Chloe was biased considering the only shots she cared about were the ones that framed Rachel. And Rachel could look good in anything.

It was Kate that Max cared about. Kate, who had pushed her to enter contests and reach out to magazines. Kate who had believed in her when Max really felt like there was nothing in the world left to believe in.

Sometimes it was hard to remember that it was also Kate who had been so badly scorned by a camera before. She'd been so good at helping Max find her place and her confidence with her camera. The thought that her pictures could be weapons was a powerful one – and humbling. To Kate, the idea was probably terrifying.

But Kate was good at talking about it. And she was good at hugging especially. They did a lot of that when they'd set the ground rules for taking pictures. Max smiled as she glanced at her, remembering the warmth she'd felt all over that day in the hospital when she was finally able to see her again, to know she was alive and okay. The nightmare was over.

They'd been dating almost ever since. And Max had never taken her girlfriend's picture without asking first.

But talking to Kate was so _easy_.

Talking to Rachel was hard. It wasn't just one thing, either. Just a lot of different things and a lot of different feelings. Rachel still had cuts on her knuckles from whatever had gone down between her and Nathan after she'd learned the part he'd played in Kate's viral video. She remembered the look on her face with frightening clarity. Anger didn't suit her, but she knew how to wield it when necessary.

Frankly, Max wasn't interested in finding out the details, for once. This time, she'd be happy to take the picture and leave the questions for someone else.

What was important now was that Kate was among friends.

"I just think this'd make a nice shot." She shrugged her shoulders, pulling her camera closer to her stomach.

Rachel didn't take her eyes off the road, but her smile broadened. "Go for it, Max. You're the photographer who's gonna get me famous. Take all the shots you need."

Max sucked in a breath, laughed. "I haven't gotten you famous yet." But she snapped the picture she'd been looking for, and tucked it away for safekeeping.

"You will. We all make a great team."

Max smiled again, and even though the sun was setting, the darker hues of purple and blue still filled her with warmth and wonder. She kicked her feet up on the dashboard, resting her eyes and dreaming of a sunny beach and starry skies and a city where no one knew who they were yet – but could, one day.

Something jolted her, and she jerked forward against her seatbelt, heart thudding.

Chloe rested a hand on Max's shoulder, gently shaking. "Oh crap, sorry Mad Max. Just letting you know I'm awake. We can pull over and trade seats." She smiled brightly at Max, and then like the sun was pouring out between her teeth at Rachel.

Some people were just meant for each other.

Being with Kate made Max sure of it.

"Are you doing the favor for me, or is this just about making out with Rachel?"

The corner of Rachel's lip twitched just the slightest in a smile. "I know the rules, Max. Don't sex and drive."

"Chloe likes to break rules," Max muttered, though secretly she was delighted she'd finally get to rest her head next to Kate.

"Not my fault Rach has a thing for bad girls." Chloe's eyes were sparkling, and she was watching Rachel the way kids watched the stars.

Rachel had taken the first exit they'd come to, burnt out streetlights leading them down a narrow road to an old, rusted mechanic shop.

"Hop out, kids."

Chloe saluted her girlfriend, she and Max both climbing out of the car, fistbumping, and climbing back into their newly assigned seats. Kate stirred when the doors shut again, smiled sleepily at Max. She reached out a hand, setting it on Max's thigh, and Max took it, her heartbeat slowing as their fingers locked together.

Some people just felt like home.


End file.
